tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62461534595480729662019-01-02T11:04:06.238-08:00Mary DavidsaverMary
DavidsaverMary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-32262890671542721162018-12-18T12:00:00.002-08:002018-12-18T12:00:24.174-08:00A Book on Every Bed<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes, I am one of those people who read advice columnists on a regular basis. I’m usually looking for pointers on coping with the world and the human condition. I was thrilled recently when columnist Amy Dickinson’s devoted her entire space <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">for the promotion for literacy:</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Starting with children!</b> Thrilled because I gave books to my great-nieces and great-nephews this Christmas. Books are the presents that get opened and quickly put down, so the youngster can attack the next wrapped present. They’re probably hoping for something with batteries that will entertain them with the modern version of bells and whistles that can possibly leave out a very important ingredient—human interaction. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A book on every bed</b> is a great project because it unites a young reader with a parent or other adult and could provide a perfect part of any day. That kind of magic is real.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sharing your favorite picture books is not just for babies and younger children, it’s possible to find books that might entice <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">teenagers</b>to read on their own. I found one such gem with the latest volume of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“The Atlas”</b>, a publication by teens for teens that is created through the Midwest Writing Center’s YEW summer program. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YEW</b> stands for Young Emerging Writers, and yes, every summer a whole new crew learns how to write, edit, and publish a magazine that’s all their own work. Another reason the Midwest Writing Center is a valuable resource for the Quad-City area.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Learn more about starting your own “book on every bed” tradition by going to childrensreadingconnection.org or Amy Dickinson’s Facebook page: facebook.com/ADickinsonDaily.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The current volume of “The Atlas” is available for $10 at The Midwest Writing Center: http://www.mwcqc.org/books/the-atlas-13/</span></div><br />Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-29947093031896155292018-10-31T09:59:00.001-07:002018-10-31T09:59:11.806-07:00Review for The Boys in the Bunkhouse<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m go to a lot of book clubs through the Davenport Public Library: Shorts &amp; Sweets, Stranger than Fiction, See YA, and the West End. I have to confess the reason I joined all these clubs is because I get intimidated whenever I walk into the library or a book shop—I’m overwhelmed by all the choices. Is that fear of the unknown or laziness? I can’t do the research? Whatever, it’s a long-standing problem I solved by having someone else pick out the books I read. I’ve only had a few that I couldn’t finish. Many have been wonderful discoveries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The perfect case in point was reading <u>The Boys in the Bunkhouse</u> by Dan Barry for Stranger than Fiction. It’s a new-this-year book club. I’ve found the selections a bit of a rocky road for me. These non-fiction books can be totally eye-opening or not, an easy read or a challenging one. Reading about the boys from the bunkhouse in Atalissa, Iowa, practically in my back yard, was definitely an amazing experience that I wouldn’t have had any other way. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I enjoyed Dan Barry’s writing for both style and the in-depth research. He found the most amazing tidbits of information and skillfully wove them into the fabric of his text. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank you, Bill Fuhr and the rest of the Davenport library staff, for a great experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-86916639043713501242018-10-25T13:21:00.000-07:002018-10-25T13:21:20.365-07:00Review of the Replacement<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk528240281"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Author Bianca Sierra-Luebke </span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">uses masterful plotting to create a believable world that’s a blend of science fiction and fantasy. The Replacement: Book 1 of the Replacement Series is an ambitious world-building introduction to seventeen-year-old Angelica Franklin as she transitions away from her humanity. Angelica’s captors use their own blood to mold her into a being that’s supposed to be a replacement, a Lymerian that will find a place in their highly-ordered society. They don’t get the what they were expecting. Angelica emerges strong, fearless and wanting answers for the years of secrets and lies. The ending is a cliffhanger that gives the reader a hint at the answers yet to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The above is what I wrote when I finished the book and wanted to get something posted to Amazon and Goodreads to let the author know she had one more review. She’s up to twelve. Not bad. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What I didn’t talk about in my haste to get the posts up was how impressed I was with her writing style. It’s crisp, clean and hits all the important plot points without overdoing it. That’s good in this case because she has a lot of action to cover timewise, fifteen years’ worth, in the small space of this book. On top of that she’s worldbuilding a complex society of aliens that aren’t necessarily all that alien anymore. She’s introducing new terminology. And, of course, laying the groundwork for all kinds of conflict: between individuals, between the main groups, between the long-lived Lymerian’s and those pesky humans who aren’t as primitive as they once were.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Did I mention Author Bianca Sierra-Luebke wrote her book in first person PRESENT tense? It’s something YA authors strive for these days and not all can pull off with consistent good results. It works well here, and I was quite a way into the book before I caught on. Kudos for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My only problem was losing track of who was speaking occasionally. Backtracking on dialog tends to drop one out of the narrative. Using a lot of “He says” or “She says” is a pain, but it keeps the reading pace going and they really don’t register after a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now, the ending. The fact that this is part of a series was made clear up front. I can’t find fault with that. The ending is good. We readers have a lot more to find out about our protagonist. And there were a lot of juicy, tantalizing hints aimed at a great world-changing struggle ahead, but I must admit I wanted a bigger ending for this first book. However, I’m thinking that when the series is complete maybe all the books can be combined into one volume—the story line will be fluid and connected and grand—an epic saga in its own right. One can hope.</span></div><br />Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-18973569912939353572018-08-21T11:11:00.000-07:002018-08-21T11:11:15.123-07:00Questions to Start a Discussion for Any Book<br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Questions for a book discussion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">How did you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">experience the book?</b> Were you drawn into the story early or later? How did you feel while reading it—amused, sad, confused, disturbed…?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Do you find the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">characters convincing?</b> Are they believable? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Which characters do you particularly <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">admire or dislike?</b> What are their primary characteristics?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">What <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">motivates</b> a given character’s actions? Do you think those actions are justified or ethical?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Do any characters <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">grow or change</b> during the novel? If so, in what way?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Who in the book would you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">like to meet?</b> What would you ask, or say?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">If you could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">insert yourself</b> as a character in the book, what role would you play?&nbsp;You might be a new character or take the place of an existing one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Is the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">plot well developed?</b> Is it believable? Do you feel manipulated along the way?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Consider <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the ending.</b>Did you expect it or were you surprised? Was it manipulative or forced? Was it neatly wrapped up—maybe too neatly?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">If you could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">rewrite the ending,</b> would you? In other words, did you find the ending satisfying? Why or why not?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Can you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">pick out a passage</b> that strikes you as particularly profound or interesting?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">Does the book remind you of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">your own life?</b> An event? A person—like a friend, family member, boss, co-worker?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;">If you were to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">talk with the author,</b> what would you want to know?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="color: #565656; font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>[I always strive to acknowledge the sources for my quotes and for material that isn't my own. The source for this list of questions came from an internet search. I couldn't find a definitive author. It appears that they, the questions, are often used as a springboard to personalize discussions for many books. In that spirit I altered them for my use and to fit onto one page.]Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-46034244681172419782018-07-25T09:02:00.002-07:002018-07-25T09:07:47.524-07:00A Tale of Two T-shirts<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I have two t-shirts that I don’t wear very often. Well, hardly ever. I had to buy them. They were mementos from two of the three writing conferences I went to last year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I always take lots of notes at the workshops and panel discussions I attend; they help me remember the important points, the tips on writing, and the things I need to research later. Notes make nice keepsakes, but the overall festive mood let me get hooked on purchasing commemorative apparel from the out-of-town venues: Nashville and Chicago. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So, I have two shirts and they’re both black. Black may be popular but it’s not my color, … and I brought them home anyway. They’ve sat in my closet, pretty much untouched, ever since. I did use one for a play where I needed to dress all in black as a sort of a neutral background color to set off a red hat and scarf that were my main props. Turned inside out and with the tag trimmed off the T with the least amount of printing passed quite well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Not wearing a garment leaves it in great condition for an upcoming event such as my reading at RIVER LIGHTS BOOKSTORE in Dubuque this coming Saturday. But do I have the courage to wear a black shirt that has “KILLER NASHVILLE” splashed across the front in blood-red lettering? At least it has “Writers’ Conference” sedately written underneath the crimson headline. The bonus feature is the large moon that peers ominously over the silhouette of the Nashville skyline. This is important because there’ll be a full moon around 4 PM Friday afternoon. Saturday would have been better, but I’ll take what I can get.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I still must find the bravery to actually wear this shirt in a public place where I’ll quite likely be asked to explain it all. The four-day conference. The fact that my novel is a COZY MYSTERY and not some of the hardcore stuff other people write. At the very least, it will give me a starting point in my talk. It will all be good.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">That leaves the "MURDER AND MAYHEM" shirt for another author-ish occasion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2Jw5XhjJQA/W1ie-k82vEI/AAAAAAAAbig/9yJ9Wt7fzYUVoxkl-yAxcHewKjy-pbDdQCLcBGAs/s1600/Tshirt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H2Jw5XhjJQA/W1ie-k82vEI/AAAAAAAAbig/9yJ9Wt7fzYUVoxkl-yAxcHewKjy-pbDdQCLcBGAs/s320/Tshirt1.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-11639169668598125262018-06-18T09:28:00.001-07:002018-06-18T09:28:26.857-07:00Guidelines for a Productive Critique<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">“<i>Here are some guidelines for reading and doing the workshop letters. Best, Amy</i>” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">Fall Novel Writing Workshop with Amy Parker, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">Writers</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">: When you submit your work, please make sure it’s in 12-point font and double spaced.&nbsp; Number the pages so we can refer to them in discussion.&nbsp; Please include a synopsis for context if the pages you submit are from the middle of the manuscript.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">Readers</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">: read the material twice. First go through with a “magazine read”, reading as you would if you just picked the story up and were reading for pleasure.&nbsp; What’s your first impression? Read like a reader. On the second read, read like a writer. Go through the story and mark up the manuscript—mark passages that delight you, things that confuse you, areas where you have questions. Write comments in the margins.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">The letter</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">: write a letter to the author, about a page. The letter should do the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">First, describe the story. On the most basic level, what happens? (We do this so the author gets a sense of what the reader understands. It may seem obvious, but sometimes readers pick up on things the author didn’t intend, and the author should investigate why). Where do you think the story is going?&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Cambria&quot;,serif; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;MS Mincho&quot;;">Next, note what the story does well. What do you admire? What moved you? What worked and why?&nbsp; Be specific. Quote as necessary. (Few things are more pleasurable than having one’s work quoted.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Finally, what confused you? Where does the story need developing or clarifying? Are there gaps, inconsistencies? Is the language unclear? Are there scenes that could be compressed, or summaries that need to be amplified? What questions do you have about the material?&nbsp;</span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-31073905399538340022018-04-25T10:13:00.000-07:002018-04-25T10:13:04.599-07:00Sue Grafton’s X<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When anyone asks me who’s my favorite author I’m at a loss to pick one person out of lifetime of reading. I’ve gone through a lot of phases, like reading the science fiction greats, focusing on animals of various kinds, and the searching out the books behind the movies I’ve seen. This amounts to odd assortments of things for pleasure, school, and work. I liked things and found value in my reading, but I can’t say I found an all-time standout favorite among all those authors. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, when I decided to write a novel and chose it to be a mystery I launched into a campaign of reading other mystery writer’s first books, which is where discovered Sue Grafton’s work. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I read the first three letters of the alphabet series before skipping on to later letters. I admired her skill at descriptions, her attention to details, and her grasp of human nature, and I still have S on my bookshelf because of her author’s note about maps. After that, I took another break. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then I heard she won’t be finishing the alphabet; there would never be a Z. So, when I found a copy of Sue Grafton’s X marked down and too much of a bargain to walk away from, I had my chance to get caught up with Kinsey Millhone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I totally enjoyed the experience of reading a mature author in high form. Grafton sets an excellent example of how to weave multiple characters, plots, and subplots together into a satisfying whole. She never compromised her standards.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><u>Here’s a list of quotes I had presence of mind to flag:</u><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“… he had a wen beside his nose …" [It’s like a boil.]<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Memory is subject to a filtering process that we don’t always recognize and can’t always control. We remember what we can bear and we block what we cannot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Silence allowed me time for reflection and helped to quiet the chatter in my head.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“I pressed the button that lowered the driver’s-side window and then put both hands on the steering wheel where he could see them. I could write a primer on how to behave in the presence of law enforcement, which basically boils down to good manners and abject obedience.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“They’re disconnected and cold and lack any semblance of humanity. Symptoms typically manifest in adolescence, which is when you start seeing aggression and antisocial acting-out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“You can’t make someone else do anything, even if you know you’re right.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“Just because I couldn’t solve my own problems doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have a go at yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since Sue Grafton is the one author I’ve come back to more than once, or twice, I have to say the verdict is in: she’s my favorite.</span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-58824771473555872852018-04-08T15:41:00.002-07:002018-04-08T15:41:45.228-07:00The Nordstrom Medicine Show<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I had a blast from the past from the Sunday, Apr. 8, Dispatch/Argus newspaper. Their “Today in History” featured Rev. W. S. Nordstrom as the 50-year-old story. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I discovered Rev. Nordstrom’s unique Medicine Show at the Henry County Historical Museum back in 2010 and wrote about it for the Galva News. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This is what I submitted:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Medicine Show<o:p></o:p></span></u></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">By Mary Davidsaver<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">At the Henry County Historical Museum in Bishop Hill, tucked away in the back of room B, visitors will find a glass case with an odd assortment of memorabilia. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The case contains a variety of patent medicine bottles, a yellow vest and a small 4-hole Hohner harmonica, among other things.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Nearby an old button accordion rests on top of a wooden box with “Bumstead’s Worm Syrup” stenciled on the front. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It all comes together as soon as Roger Anderson slips a CD into a TV set and turns it on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“I had CDs made from a video tape of Wayne Nordstrom,” he explained. “I thought this would add interest to his bottle collection.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It seems that the late Rev. Nordstrom, the Methodist pastor put out to pasture, had more interests than just flying his airplane around the countryside visiting the churches in the Central Illinois Conference.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">His program, recorded in Mesa, Arizona in 1998 and titled “Laughter is the Music of the Soul,” features jokes, music and humorous stories about the bottles he found under his house.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Nordstrom had ventured under the 8-bedroom farm house that lies between Galva and Bishop Hill when his wife complained that natural “air conditioning” wasn’t a good thing to have in the wintertime.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">While down there he discovered a trash heap sealed within the brick foundation. He found nearly 500 bottles of all kinds, dating from 1850 to 1890. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Apothecary and patent medicine bottles of all sizes, shapes and colors, many with their labels intact, comprised the majority of the hoard. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">His curiosity got him started doing research. He wanted to figure out why there was a need for Dr. Warner’s Liver Cure or Dr. Foley’s Blood Purifier. There seemed to be a great many medicinal elixirs for the stomach, bladder, liver and kidneys. Some liniments promised immediate relief, but remained vague about what kind of relief one would find.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A personal favorite was Pierces’s Pleasant Purgative Pellets. “It does the work of dynamite without the danger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Then there’s Mexican Mustang Liniment. Guaranteed to “heal ‘em up and head ‘em out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The list of ingredients for some of the so-called “cures” is impressive: opium, chloroform, ether, turpentine, cod liver oil. These on top of an assortment of roots, leaves, and bark. And alcohol—lots of alcohol. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s enough to make one really appreciate the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Nordstrom wondered how people could be so gullible. But he reminds us that these were down to earth people desperately trying to cope with real problems. Look at us today; we are still taking drugs and herbs to manage our problems. He asked us to imagine what it would look like if we kept our trash under our house.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">He also brings up the point that maybe folks back then didn’t want a cure at all. He found 50 bottles of a particular consumption cure. That’s a lot of horehound syrup—along with more than a fair amount of alcohol.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Nordstrom probably wasn’t joking when he called some of this stuff “hooch.” The high alcohol content may have made it a socially acceptable way to do a little imbibing. It certainly could have delivered the cure it promised; after drinking it, no one would want to cough by an open flame.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Toward the end of Nordstrom’s performance, with the help of the button accordion and his wife on the piano, he led the audience through several tunes and sing-a-longs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The retired Reverend put on quite a successful version of a medicine show. It’s hard not to applaud him right along with the audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Stop by the Henry County Historical Museum for more information and take a look at the medicine bottles. Copies of the CD are available for purchase.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-77019558522715508212018-03-14T13:07:00.001-07:002018-03-14T13:10:39.525-07:00Essay on Radioactive Dirt<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Let’s be clear, I’m older than dirt. That would be radioactive dirt. Sure, radioactivity is around us all the time because it’s a natural thing in the environment with levels that are normally nontoxic. The dirt I’m referring to is the kind that became enriched with Strontium 90, a product of nuclear fission. Forget the spent fuel from nuclear reactors or their radioactive waste: I’m talking atomic and hydrogen bombs. The testing of those bombs, both above and below ground, was the cornerstone of the Cold War, and went on from WWII until a partial test ban was signed by Kennedy and Khrushchev in 1963. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As a child of a time without computers or the internet, I knew little of the larger world outside of my immediate family. But at some point, I did become aware of images of mushroom-shaped clouds over the desert sands, of horrific winds blowing away houses, and the danger it might present for my small self to get in the way of such things. Blame television. Blame the schools, too. They were the ones to come up with “Duck and Cover” drills. The “make like a turtle” and hide under your school desk all tucked up into a ball. I’m here to tell you that even a socially-unconnected little kid from that era can figure out how valueless those tactics would ever be in the real situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One of the presents for my twelfth birthday was the Cuban Missile Crisis. The tense standoff between the US and the USSR. Seriously, the grownups around me were worried. So was I. The treat of nuclear war was real. I remember that I wanted to come to some kind of understanding with this scary scenario, this unthinkable end of everything. I wanted to find a way to go on with daily life without being paralyzed with fear. I wanted to just be a kid. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">My solution then was totally childlike and naïve: I chose to trust that the grownups would not let me down. They would fix things. Keep me and everyone safe. And it happened. An agreement was reached, and everyone stepped back from the brink of disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So, here it is decades later and politics has us as bitterly divided, the newspaper headlines tell me the government has been shut down, there are new kinds of bombs out in the world, and homegrown terrorists seem to be shooting at random. I’m much too old and too cynical to wait silently on the sidelines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It’s time for the current crop of adults to step up, work together, and fix things. Our children need to be safe, and it would be nice if they didn’t have to do all the work themselves.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-74851215585205865552018-02-21T11:05:00.001-08:002018-03-14T08:49:28.509-07:00Sweet T and Timing<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14pt;">I had a totally awesome experience last month. I found, by accident, an old Facebook message. Sadly, the enticing offer to do a guest blog post was six weeks old. I began beating myself up for not being on top of the social media game, all the while knowing that it would be futile. I do what I can.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finding the old message was a verifiable miracle as far as I was concerned. But was it a real offer and not some scam? I’ve been tricked before. I have the infected computer (sitting in the closet) to prove it. I checked out <b>Southern Writers Magazine</b> online. It’s real. I clicked through to <b>Suite T</b> and started reading recent blog posts by William Walsh. I got down to his Jan. 26 post and came upon a familiar quote and a long-forgotten name of a writing instructor. So, two miracles in one morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I sat down at my <i>new</i>computer to write out my thoughts—to create one more miracle. I didn’t procrastinate, let those thoughts fade, I got on with some real writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I resisted the urge to send it in that first night. Totally GOOD IDEA on my part, because by the next morning’s light I could tell that while the basics were solid enough, I had to do some reorganization for flow and clarity. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The second draft was better. Then, I took time to read the SUBMISSION GUIDELINES. Bad news. I had to chop out words to get from 640 to under 500. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That took some doing. In fact, I over did it, and got to add words back (saved my ending). Still, it’s good practice to weigh every word and thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The title of my blog post is <b>FOX HUNTING</b>, and I will be sure to let everyone know when it will be posted. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">THE TRUTH:</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I’ve finally figured out that if I had found that message in a timelier manner, like, any time sooner than when I did, I would have missed the whole sequence of events that led up to my discovering the teacher’s name. I also would have been hard pressed to have anything relevant to write about. I hate to say this, but procrastination really worked out in my favor this time. Makes me wonder how many other times I benefitted by being lucky instead of being talented. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">SPOILER ALERT: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am going to look for books by William Price Fox.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Find Sweet T at: <a href="http://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com/">http://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com</a></span><br /><br />Find FOX HUNTING at:&nbsp;http://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com/2018/03/fox-hunting.html<br /><br /></div></div></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-2769723659486400142018-02-18T13:33:00.001-08:002018-02-18T13:35:16.409-08:00Bucktown Revisited<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Jonathan Turner’s <i>A Brief History of Bucktown</i> was the star attraction at the last READ LOCAL event held at the Bettendorf Public Library. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I couldn’t attend. So, to atone I found last year’s Goodreads book review to post.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">“This is a small but mighty volume that highlights the history and heritage of an important river town. Davenport was part of the Tri-Cities first and then the Quad Cities most recently as they all shared the banks of the Mississippi River. The river brought life, prosperity, and growing pains to an early frontier Davenport that rivaled the likes of cities many times its size. Turner documents it all with faithful quotes from a great many sources. He begins in the 1880s by showing us the booze-soaked red-light district and progresses forward through the boom and bust years of two world wars and a major farm crisis. He ends with an amazing come-back story of urban revitalization.</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /><br /><span style="background: white;">The high point for me was going to hear the Quad City Wind Ensemble preform at St. Ambrose University's Allaert Hall. I'd just finished the part of chapter four that highlighted the cultural influence of the German American population's love of all things musical. The title of the performance was "Fiesta" and the music was lively and uplifting. I felt like I had a direct line back to those rowdy beer halls of Bucktown in its heyday without having to stagger home.</span><br /><br /><span style="background: white;">There's just so much information here and the before and after photos are very helpful, but it left me wishing for someone to put together a tour to give me more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Turner has done an impressive job with his brief overview. I think he has opened a door to a lot of stories waiting to be told."</span>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-68969962518243080182018-02-07T12:51:00.001-08:002018-02-18T13:35:57.051-08:00Cucamonga Valley Wine Book Review<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Co-authors George Walker and John Peragine have created a little gem of a book. Cucamonga Valley Wine is packed with facts, figures, and photos that highlight an area of California that needs to be remembered for its contribution to the history of the wine industry and to American society.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What looked like useless, inhospitable soil at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains held a secret treasure that few outsiders would discover until Franciscan monks showed up with their Mission grapes. A century later, that wild wasteland of rocks, sand, and desert plants revealed a deep source of water that would allow for the dry-farming, or non-irrigation, of varieties of grapes familiar to Italian immigrants well trained in the art of winemaking. Those enterprising Italian families worked for generations to establish a strong wine-producing culture that outlasted Prohibition and wasting diseases. They persevered until modern times, when car exhaust and urban sprawl proved to be too much competition. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Wine enthusiasts will appreciate the attention to detail and the ending that isn’t an ending: There will always be a place for fine wine at the American table.</span>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-22341338059130632272018-01-31T10:31:00.001-08:002018-01-31T10:32:48.982-08:00Sharing a Great Find<h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I found these thoughts on writing very useful for more than just flash fiction. It was one of those “I got it right” moments for me. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></h2><h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">-Mary <o:p></o:p></span></h2><div><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="background: white;">How to write flash fiction</h2><h2 style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></h2><h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">By David Gaffney, </span><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Guardian, Monday 14 May 2012</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #767676; font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2><div style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">1. Start in the middle.</span></strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You don't have time in this very short form to set scenes and build character.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">2. Don't use too many characters.</span></strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">You won't have time to describe your characters when you're writing ultra-short. Even a name may not be useful in a micro-story unless it conveys a lot of additional story information or saves you words elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">3. Make sure the ending isn't at the end.</span></strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">In micro-fiction there's a danger that much of the engagement with the story takes place when the reader has stopped reading. To avoid this, place the denouement in the middle of the story, allowing us time, as the rest of the text spins out, to consider the situation along with the narrator, and ruminate on the decisions his characters have taken. If you're not careful, micro-stories can lean towards punchline-based or "pull back to reveal" endings which have a one-note, gag-a-minute feel – the drum roll and cymbal crash. Avoid this by giving us almost all the information we need in the first few lines, using the next few paragraphs to take us on a journey below the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">4. Sweat your title.</span></strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Make it work for a living.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">5. Make your last line ring like a bell.</span></strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The last line is not the ending – we had that in the middle, remember – but it should leave the reader with something which will continue to sound after the story has finished. It should not complete the story but rather take us into a new place; a place where we can continue to think about the ideas in the story and wonder what it all meant. A story that gives itself up in the last line is no story at all, and after reading a piece of good micro-fiction we should be struggling to understand it, and, in this way, will grow to love it as a beautiful enigma. And this is also another of the dangers of micro-fiction; micro-stories can be too rich and offer too much emotion in a powerful one-off injection, overwhelming the reader, flooding the mind. A few micro-shorts now and again will amaze and delight – one after another and you feel like you've been run over by a lorry full of fridges.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="background: white;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">6. Write long, then go short.</span></strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Create a lump of stone from which you chip out your story sculpture. Stories can live much more cheaply than you realize, with little deterioration in lifestyle. But do beware: writing micro-fiction is for some like holidaying in a caravan – the grill may well fold out to become an extra bed, but you wouldn't sleep in a fold-out grill for the rest of your life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-8180677193079751222018-01-24T16:43:00.000-08:002018-01-24T16:51:03.869-08:00An Alzheimer’s Journey<div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My book review on:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My Two Elaines: Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver <o:p></o:p></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by Martin J. Schreiber with Cathy Breitenbucher<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This timely little book is filled with big messages. The first being: Caregivers must care for themselves. The second: Make use of all your resources. The third: Accept help from family and friends. The fourth: By entering the world of your Alzheimer's loved one, you can avoid the conflict of clashing realities and find a way to cherish the small moments of comfort and joy. There's much more to find in this frank and readable volume. Martin Schreiber was kind and brave to share so much of his personal story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On a current note:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve been going to classes presented by Jerry Schroeder at Eastern Library for the past two weeks. He is Senior Program Specialist with the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Iowa Chapter, and has a lot of knowledge and experience to share both with the slides he shows and the Q &amp; A afterward. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There will be one more class titled “Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going” next Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 3:30-5:00 PM, at the Eastern Library, Davenport, IA.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">National Alzheimer's Hotline: 800.272.3900<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">alz.org/greateriowa<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-70227600144287714052018-01-18T13:26:00.000-08:002018-01-18T13:28:16.080-08:00Writing Exercise 11<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of my writing rituals involves cleaning. Usually, it’s cleaning my house, my room, or in this case, tidying up my computer files. In doing so, I came across this writing exercise. It is of interest because I messed up yesterday’s writing challenge for the first meeting of COMMUNITY WRITE NIGHT. The prompt was “What have you done this week?” and I was too embarrassed to mention the cleaning I’d been doing. Like, how do you write about washing salty footprints off your wood floor and make it interesting? So, I didn’t even try. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BUT, during my computer cleaning binge, I came across this item and I will share it in its natural, unedited state since NaNoWriMo was mentioned last night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Writing exercise 11/20/17&nbsp; Thanksgiving Gone Wrong<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The doorbell rang, and I opened the door to find my turkey waiting for me in a white carboard box. This year’s turkey was not frozen, not fresh, not soaked in brine. Something totally new for us … smoked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I opened the box, as per the urgent instructions stamped on top of the box, and was hit by the overpowering aroma of smoke. Great, I thought, I’ll have a smoky fridge, and no doubt a smoky house for at least a week. It had better be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I really had no reason to grouse about my husband’s novel selection. I certainly had not contributed my part in the planning of T Day. Other than obtaining pumpkin pie fixin’s. I’ve been too busy with plumping up my NaNoWriMo word count. Lots of things have had to slide by the wayside. Important things yes. Things that will come back to bite me I’m sure. But that’s just the breaks for November novel writing for someone who procrastinates for the rest of the year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last year I went to Bettendorf for a writer’s group. I was there by myself some afternoons. This year I’ve stayed home, drank coffee, stared at my notes, and hoped that I could make some sense out of the bits and pieces of the story I was trying to imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t like playing by the rules anyway, so nothing new there. This month is for me and I’ll get by the best that I can.</span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-54567123741371355422018-01-10T07:43:00.000-08:002018-01-10T07:45:07.581-08:00Discussion Questions for Unbecoming by R. Scherm<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="red-bold-14"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The WEST END BOOK CLUB will be on its own, without a librarian to help guide the book discussions, for the next six months. (That’s how many books were ordered ahead of time and are still available.) Many books include discussion questions specific to the book. Sometimes, in a pinch, I’ve seen librarians come up with a set of generic questions to get readers talking about the books they’ve read. I was lucky and found two sets of questions provided by the publisher, Penguin, that will work for the next meeting: <span style="color: red;">Tuesday, Jan. 16<sup>th</sup>, 6:30-7:30 PM, at Fairmount Library, Davenport.</span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="red-bold-14"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="red-bold-14"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="red-bold-14"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Discussion Questions</span> </b></span><span class="red-bold-14"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">for <u>Unbecoming</u>by Rebecca Scherm </span></b></span><span class="red-bold-14"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Issued by the publisher.)</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />1. Discuss the meaning of the novel’s title. Who is unbecoming, how, why, in what ways?<br /><br />2. Compare Grace’s relationship with Riley to that with Alls. Does she behave differently with them? What are the power dynamics?<br /><br />3. Grace is a challenging narrator—unreliable and at times unlikeable. How did this affect the way you read the book?<br /><br />4. Were you surprised by the book’s ending? What were your feelings about the way it ended?<br /><br />5. Mystery and charisma are a crucial a part of Grace’s personality. Have you ever met someone like Grace?<br /><br />6. What is the effect of the story being told from Grace’s point of view? How is that significant?<br /><br />7. What did you take away from theme of the exploring?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">1. What does Grace love about Riley and why is she drawn to him?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">2. Riley paints buildings. What do his artistic choices say about his character?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">3. Why is Grace’s time in New York important, and what does it teach her about herself and her relationship with Riley?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">4. Grace is a self-professed liar but claims she gets no joy from it. Why, then, do you think she’s constantly avoiding telling the truth?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">5. There are many thieves and liars in this book. Which acts are forgivable, and which are not?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">6. What aspects of the heist and its aftermath unfold in the way Grace predicts? Which parts surprise her?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">7. In Alls, Grace finds something of a kindred spirit. What is it that they have in common? How is Alls like or unlike Riley?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">8. Grace finally breaks down and tells her story—or most of it—to her coworker Hanna. What makes her choose Hanna as a confidante? What is Hanna’s response?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">9. Alls comments that Grace shines a light that blinds others to who she really is. How can this quality be both a positive and a negative trait in a person?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background: #F8F8F8; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: .25in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;helvetica&quot; , sans-serif;">10. Throughout the book, Grace has the sense that Riley is going to catch up with her and confront her. What did you expect would happen?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">11. The title of this book evokes multiple meanings. What does it mean to you?&nbsp;</span>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-7050204142842781832018-01-03T17:58:00.000-08:002018-01-03T19:03:32.276-08:00Traditions & Another Recipe<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve spent a fair amount of time over this past holiday season thinking about family traditions. My new daughter-in-law had asked me to tell her about my family’s traditions. She wanted to include them when we all got together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My first reaction was, “What holiday traditions?” I honestly couldn’t think of one special family thing we did every year while I was growing up. We had Christmas trees. I imagine most were bought. Once, when my mom was older and living on the river, she and I went out searching the wild space between a field and a creek to find a likely specimen to cut down. Can’t get any fresher than that. But by that late date most of her fancy glass ornaments, the ones I remembered as a kid where gone, broken. Too many moves. Too much rough handling by a clumsy kid, who I’d rather not name. And some cats. Cats do love climbing trees and fragile glass objects don’t have much of a chance. Then there was the 1993 flood. Mom saved her photos and genealogy notebooks, but not much else. I guess I do have the last ornament, a glass ball with three faded stripes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then something clicked, and I went to my recipe box, a relic from my high school Home Economy class, and found a favorite card. Judging by the ink I used and the sad condition of the note card, it had to be one of the earliest recipes I collected—closing in on fifty years old. It came from my sister. At that time, she would have been a young farm wife who was out in the barn milking a cow every day. Scalding the whole milk would have been an important step. Her eggnog was wonderful and when I started my own family I began making a big batch every year. That tradition waned as the kids left home and, at some point, stopped all together. Store-bought eggnog filled in the gap until counting calories became more important. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, I had a recipe card that I hadn’t looked at for years and I tried making a big batch like I remembered doing—it was a total flop. Weak and wimpy, the only saving grace was using it steamed in a cappuccino.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I sat down to read the recipe card, really study it, because it didn’t make any sense. I remembered that I’d condensed the directions, so they would fit on the card. I didn’t remember all the mistakes, spelling and otherwise, I’d made. But there they were. I honestly don’t know how I managed working from this card all those years ago. I must have been good at improvising. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I passed on attempting any more Christmas eggnog, but I didn’t want to give up. There was New Year’s Eve to consider. I searched the internet, such a great thing to have, and found a recipe that had the essential spirit of my sister’s original recipe. I made a small batch and it was perfect. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My thanks to Alton Brown for a great recipe. It provided the last minute save for this one family tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Find Alton Brown’s recipe here:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggnog-recipe2-2013745">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggnog-recipe2-2013745</a><o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea1ojv2PQZQ/Wk2ZEa6LB-I/AAAAAAAAZgg/nzo7jSvyzTsX6-GX2EQRVG7VERAgH1uewCLcBGAs/s1600/Eggnog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea1ojv2PQZQ/Wk2ZEa6LB-I/AAAAAAAAZgg/nzo7jSvyzTsX6-GX2EQRVG7VERAgH1uewCLcBGAs/s320/Eggnog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-76979192483493445332017-12-22T13:29:00.001-08:002018-01-23T07:46:33.650-08:00Recipe for Swedish Visiting CakeIt's the Friday before Christmas and I'll be making another one of these. This time with gluten-free flour, almond flour, and very little lemon zest. But always with real butter and sliced almonds. Do sprinkle the top with a little extra granulated sugar before baking for a nice glaze. I use my largest glass pie pan and it turns out as a cross between a cake and a giant cookie.<br /><br />I had my first one ages ago as a gift from a Bishop Hill neighbor and always remembered how soft and tasty it was. Last year, I used the internet to finally track down the recipe. Enjoy.<br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Swedish Visiting Cake </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt;">&nbsp;</span></b><a href="http://www.fransfavs.com/">www.fransfavs.com</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><i>Ingredients<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Grated zest of 1 lemon (use ½ lemon or none at all)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2 large eggs <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1/4 tsp. salt<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 tsp. pure vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1/2 tsp. pure almond extract<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 cup flour (optional: add ¼ c. almond flour, <u>see note below</u>)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1 stick (8 Tbl.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">About 1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><i>Directions<o:p></o:p></i></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.&nbsp; Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch cake pan, or even a pie pan.&nbsp; <u>You can use a 9-inch cake or pie pan and put parchment on the bottom.&nbsp; Butter the parchment paper.</u><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Pour the sugar into a medium bowl. Add the zest and blend the zest and sugar together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic.<br /><br />Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Whisk in the salt and the extracts.<br /><br />Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Finally, fold in the melted butter.&nbsp; Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.&nbsp; Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar if using.&nbsp; <u>If you're using a cake or pie pan, place the pan on a baking sheet.<o:p></o:p></u></span><br /><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><u><br /></u></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is golden and a little crisp on the outside; the inside will remain moist.&nbsp; Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it.&nbsp; You can serve the cake warm or cooled, directly from the skillet or turned out onto a serving plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><u>If adding ¼ cup ground almond flour, increase baking time to 30-35 minutes</u></span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-4281057258151054812017-12-15T10:25:00.001-08:002017-12-15T10:26:12.072-08:00A Panel of READERS<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the best ideas to come my way popped up at a recent MWC, Midwest Writing Center, programming meeting. MWC wants to put together a panel composed only of READERS who will give writers and authors a chance to learn, first hand, what it is that READERS want. Sounds rather Freudian doesn’t it? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But, psychology aside, it is a solid concept and worth pursuing. Because I’ve been on the receiving end of this equation for three years now. I’ve written before about the benefits of joining LIBRARY book clubs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My first reason for joining book clubs was to let someone else choose new titles for me. I’d done a round of reading first novels by mystery writers and I was ready to move on, but wasn’t sure how to go about it. So … let someone else pick. LIBRARIANS are a natural. Plus, book clubs sponsored by libraries are, like, FREE for card holders. It was a total win, win situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then I discovered something else. Another freebie. If I went in to a book club meeting, made a few remarks about the monthly book or short story, and then sat back to LISTEN to what the others had to say—I LEARNED something—every time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Such as:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Character was primary to most readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Keep the plot moving.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Write well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Magical realism is a tough sell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So is too much sex. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Characters must change and grow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t kill the dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Not everyone will like the book or story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These topics are familiar subjects of workshops and conferences, but it’s good to hear about them firsthand from knowledgeable, and prodigious READERS. These are the folks we are after. The ones who might buy the books we write. Who will certainly talk about them to their friends. Who will follow our development as authors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like I said, a panel of READERS and LIBRARIANS handling questions from an audience of writers and authors is a great idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And just to be clear—don’t kill off that dog.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-17621097709456100592017-12-08T10:24:00.003-08:002017-12-08T10:24:48.952-08:00My Bishop Hill Collection<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m a SAVER. (It’s not just part of my name.) I’m a saver of the sorts of things that clutter up shelves, fill boxes, and overflow closets. The kind of saver who occasionally has to sort through piles of stuff to find the top of the desk. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m not a hoarder. I wouldn’t go that far. I’ve moved too often and too recently to qualify for that title. Every move, you see, demands reorganization and therefore some jettisoning of acquired material possessions. A brutal process to be sure. But the absolute essentials always make it through. The essentials in this case are items of my collection of Bishop Hill memorabilia. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s like I always knew I’d need them for give-away contests.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The most recent additions to my collection are going to be used first. I shopped for these last February at the Colony Store. They are the crochet snowflakes handmade by Bishop Hill’s favorite Swede (in my opinion), Ulla Voss. Not to be confused with Ulla Olson, a character from my novel. I needed a U name for a plot point and couldn’t think of a better name to borrow. I bought six of Ulla’s snowflakes and decided to give the first four away in pairs. The others will be partnered with some cute keychains and a fox. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why a fox? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m glad you asked. Years ago, when I still lived in Bishop Hill, I was up in the middle of a winter’s night with a bad cold. When I wasn’t coughing, I heard the most horrendous sound coming closer to my house. I watched out my window as the noisy culprit revealed itself to be a lonely fox walking down the street calling out for company. That was memorable. So was reading <b>The Fox Hunt by Sven Nordqvist</b>. Both experiences influenced me when it came time to write my own version of a Swedish fairy tale that’s in <b>Winter Worlds: Three Stories</b>. So, it’s all good.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After those items are gone, I have more in reserve. As I said before, I do like to save things.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Such as:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Illinois road maps from 2008. That would be the year of the action in <b>Clouds Over Bishop Hill</b>. Did I plan that? No. I saved those maps because the governor at the time was in trouble. Y’all remember Rod R. Blagojevich?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some target silhouettes of a squirrel. Those date from the time a black squirrel decided to live in, and chew on, Bishop Hill’s wooden water tower. I wrote about it for the Galva News. I won an award for the photograph of the resulting monster ice cycle. The paper targets are suitable for framing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Oldest by far are a few copies of the <b>Bishop Hill Children’s Activity Book</b> created by Sherry Cosentine and Deborah Rickman in 1980. These came from someone else’s cleaning binge. I’ll gladly share. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let the contests begin.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ll0Um62U0Hw/WirYg0saWrI/AAAAAAAAZAo/8RBo_UetqeoYNj_zooalTGTZLDgmldyQgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20171206_134406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1077" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ll0Um62U0Hw/WirYg0saWrI/AAAAAAAAZAo/8RBo_UetqeoYNj_zooalTGTZLDgmldyQgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20171206_134406.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-LIKYuIVo0/WirYYG_uoAI/AAAAAAAAZAk/4ighFw_z8vsh-G2ptM9C54Rav83_UdPQgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20171208_121019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1419" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-LIKYuIVo0/WirYYG_uoAI/AAAAAAAAZAk/4ighFw_z8vsh-G2ptM9C54Rav83_UdPQgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20171208_121019.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-61887851501526137562017-12-01T06:02:00.001-08:002017-12-01T06:04:59.048-08:00Holiday Cheer<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve sat at a small table in the Colony Blacksmith Shop on two recent occasions: Ag Days, and the first Weekend of Christmas Market. Those Bishop Hill events are also known as Jordsbruksdagarna and Julmarknad. No matter what you called them, or how you spell them, they were a treat to experience this year. Not for old time’s sake, but for the new. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">My “new time” involves having that small table loaded with copies of my book and talking to people about it and Bishop Hill. It’s easier to talk about Bishop Hill first. Turns out, I have a lot of experience to share about living there and about working in the Blacksmith Shop. I loved pointing to the massive timbers overhead and describing how difficult it was to pound a nail into them. Modern nails are no match for age-hardened walnut. Fortunately, the Blacksmith Shop has been retrofitted with modern amenities on the inside leaving the outside still as it was in the mid-1800s. Adaptive reuse at its best.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The highlights of last weekend were: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">First, talking to the people who were totally new to Bishop Hill. It was their first trip and I got to plug the Olof Krans paintings. That’s a natural, since they are a vital part of the plot for my mystery. I directed the newbies down the street to the world’s largest collection. Hope they got there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Second, listening to the young woman from Kewanee who made it a point to buy books written by local authors. Love her.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Third, the big guy who walked by and said over his shoulder, “You wrote a good book.” Simple, direct, and now etched into my memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ll be at the Blacksmith Shop for this Saturday’s round two of Christmas Market. It will be my last time this year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve always liked St. Lucia Nights, but the drive back to Iowa in the dark is just too daunting for me these days. Deer and headlight glare are obstacles I’d rather not take on. Which is too bad, because the village takes on a lovely glow in the dark. With a touch of snow and no wind it becomes the perfect event. But do dress warm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">And HAPPY NEW YEAR!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-68779688043201556342017-11-24T01:39:00.002-08:002017-11-24T01:39:28.064-08:00DPL’s Indie Author Day <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This link leads to two recordings made on the INDIE AUTHOR DAY sponsored by the Davenport Public Library and held last Oct. 14 at the main library downtown Davenport. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first is <b>BUILDING YOUR BRAND</b> presented by poet and novelist Jodie Toohey of Wordsy Woman Author Services. Toohey gives a practical look and concrete goals for the necessary steps all writers and authors must face as they promote their work and gain visibility in a crowded market place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The panel on<b> THE EDITING PROCESS</b> gave all the panelists a chance to talk about their experiences with the many kinds of editing available, and to offer pertinent insights and suggestions on how to make the process work for the writer at any stage of their career. 30 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://indieauthorday.davenportlibrary.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://indieauthorday.davenportlibrary.com</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-11118827435695370632017-11-22T10:10:00.000-08:002017-11-22T10:23:35.414-08:00Maps<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was stuck. And being stuck in the middle of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, slows down the race for the 50,000 word count—not a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was stuck because I couldn’t nail down what exactly happened at my crime scene. That was important info to have. Writing a mystery involves essentially coming up with TWO stories: the one that happened and the one that appears to have happened. Or so I was told early on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For my first novel, Clouds Over Bishop Hill, I was the classical PANTSER. I constructed my plot, found my story, and developed my characters as I wrote. I wanted to do it differently for the second time around. It became very important for me to figure out who was who, who was where, how they got there, and where did they park those cars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To that end, I spent an afternoon digging through my stash of Bishop Hill maps. I’d started a collection many years ago just for a day of need like this.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I found what I wanted and taped four sheets of paper together to give me a nicely laid out Bishop Hill of a size that would be useful. I raided a Bananagrams game for letter tiles, and voila, I had a way to move characters around to test out likely meet ups and such.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, I say, when imagination and mental agility fails--do go back to the basic visuals. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I5oxM8qVS1w/WhW62pW3KlI/AAAAAAAAY0M/SPxv4KMZVqg8r8mVaKKmroH4BGHozHJngCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20171117_154726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I5oxM8qVS1w/WhW62pW3KlI/AAAAAAAAY0M/SPxv4KMZVqg8r8mVaKKmroH4BGHozHJngCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20171117_154726.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Note:</b> the map in the upper left shows how Bishop Hill was originally laid out. There are sections of village streets that are now grass covered and still passable.&nbsp; A lot of streets never made it past the mapping stage.&nbsp;</span>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-70358220899849310302017-11-11T13:45:00.001-08:002017-11-11T13:58:19.822-08:00I Must Share This List<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">What’s not to like about a list? Lists are so popular. They’re everywhere and about everything. I came across this one on Facebook. Loved it. Well, liked it enough to save, respond, and share.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Ten novels agents have seen so many times before it makes them nauseous. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Fun to peruse—UNTIL—I found a couple that actually affect me and the NaNoWriMo novel I’m working on RIGHT NOW!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The LIST:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The Axe to Grind Novel: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp;Okay, I like my villains. They came first. Such strong personalities. But I didn’t mean to grind axes. You gotta believe me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I Didn’t Ask for This!</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> Okay, my protagonist is a little reluctant. But come on, she’s only twenty-two. She’s not a fully-formed adult yet. Cut me some slack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Strange But True:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; I did this with a photo and a short story. Will it be okay if I promise to be extra careful in the future?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You Can Trust Me:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; No you can’t. I only know three things, for sure, at any one time. Those three things can change. I know it, and now you do too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Anything Zombies:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; I don’t do Zombies. I reserve the right to write about aliens and fairy folktales.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Greatest Hits:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; Not likely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">7.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Picture Books for Adults:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; Not even remotely possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">8.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Eat, Pray, Whatever:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; So not going to happen. I’m keeping this stuff to myself. You’re on your own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">9.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Historical” YA:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">&nbsp; Also not likely. There are severe language issues here. Kids today talk in code. However, I reserve the right to mine my own history.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">10.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Professor Wonderful</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">, i.e. Wonder Boys???&nbsp; I have no clue what this is all about. The world is safe on this one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Here’s where to find the real list:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">https://electricliterature.com/10-novels-agents-have-already-seen-a-billion-times-800be2860d9a<o:p></o:p></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6246153459548072966.post-78154646326338632302017-11-03T04:42:00.001-07:002017-11-03T04:42:11.788-07:00History: Part One<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and I’m off and typing away. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Is it a completely new novel? No, not quite in the strictest sense. I’m bending the rules by working with last year’s NaNoWriMo’s product: a completely awful first draft that made a huge detour into Galva territory. My advantage, I hope, with this year’s effort is a five-page synopsis that’s the closest thing to an outline that I could come up with. It keeps me in Bishop Hill, and therefore writing a “Bishop Hill Mystery”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">There are two fun elements that I’ve wanted to work into the plot: money, and a wedding.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ll follow the money first.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Bishop Hill colonists acquired their own money, actual printed currency. (Not uncommon in a time without a strong, centralized banking system. Anyone with a little capital could print their own money.) The pages of bank notes bought from Western Exchange Fire &amp; Marine Insurance Co., Omaha City, were dated Nov. 2, 1857. It’s lovely stuff. The intricately engraved images of Native Americans watching trains cross the prairie and hunting buffalo might not be accurate, but it’s true to the times in which it was created. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I knew that buying this currency for the colony had turned out to be a bad investment. There was a panic and they’d lost their shirts, so to speak. My research found the reason for the panic, or economic downturn, was an offshoot of the Crimean War. Ukrainians increased their exports of wheat. This wheat flooded the US market. The problem for midwestern farmers was their timing. They’d wanted to up their own production of wheat and had increased their investment exposure with bank loans. Prices for spring wheat fell and the loans couldn’t be paid back. Land prices dropped too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The end result for the Bishop Hill colony was to take one step closer to eventual dissolution. However, they had a nice supply of useless, but lovely, money-like printed paper. The term for modern-day collectors is obsolete currency, and, 160 years later, that old “money” is finally worth something.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The wedding will have to wait for next week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Mary Davidsaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17815741999733005966noreply@blogger.com0